mikeyjavfc Posted August 9, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted August 9, 2014 I honestly can't see Gabby, Weimann and Bent scoring more than 10 goals between them. They're just complete dross and we're going to struggle to score goals until Benteke comes back. This is my fear as well. I don't think we'll be too bad defensively but our available strikers are very average and Delph, Westwood and KEA weren't exactly pitching in goals last season. I just hope if we insist on playing Darren Bent we set up the team to exploit his strengths i.e. 2 proper wings pinging balls across the 6 yard line. He's useless in any other set-up and we can revert to another system when we have Libor and/or Benteke fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P3te Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 I honestly can't see Gabby, Weimann and Bent scoring more than 10 goals between them. They're just complete dross and we're going to struggle to score goals until Benteke comes back. If Andi was played up top on his own he'd probably score, no point playing him out wide. Gabby is poor though, and there's absolutely no way to know what'll happen with Bent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StanBalaban Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Team is definitely looking stronger than last season IMO. Once all fit, we'll have the use of quite a few players that weren't available for much, or all, of the last campaign. Up front, we'll have Bent and Kozak in addition to last year. Advanced midfield, we've now got Richardson, Cole, N'Zogbia and Grealish to look forward to. Defence, we've added Okore, Senderos, Hutton and Cissokho, so it's just a defensive midfielder (possibly Sanchez) and we're good to go. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Villarocker Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 I see your point about the fact we'll have more players available but the likes of Cole, Richardson, N'Zogbia do not enthuse me at all. Grealish and Gardner would make me happier though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Here's the view of Jonathan Pritchard, who writes regularly in the Observer, giving a Villa fan's perspective. Funny, I usually find him a bit too optimistic! http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/aug/09/premier-league-fans-previews-part-one Aston Villa – Jonathan Pritchard, Observer reader We lost half our home games last season, and the last six away games. The sale of the club has been a shambles and officials are now trying to gag our supporters’ clubs’ right to criticise. Our summer signings have provoked sniggers from other fans. Am I building up to a contrarian “darkest hour comes before the dawn” sort of preview? No, we’ll probably get relegated this season. Lambert has signed/reintegrated players that are proven liabilities at the highest level (N’Zogbia excepted), and replaced two alleged bullies on the coaching staff with another one in Roy Keane. The fixture computer hasn’t been kind: we will certainly be in the bottom three come mid-October and that should be enough to make the manager’s position untenable. Until he goes, there is literally nothing to look forward to for a Villa fan beyond the balti pies. As an aside, Villa’s support has been numerically superb through four appalling seasons. The club don’t deserve this loyalty. Key players Vlaar, Guzan and Benteke kept us up last year, but we won’t see the latter til November, so if Concrete Ron leaves, the spine looks very weak. Grealish is well-regarded but we can’t expect much from a rookie winger in a relegation battle. Weak links The manager is tactically and strategically inept. The sooner he leaves the better. Headline generator The sale of the club will generate some headlines, and some optimism. Three songs that define the side Same Old Brand New You (A1); Can We Fix It? (Bob the Builder); Seasons in the Abyss (Slayer). My prediction 18th Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mantis Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 I'd like to hear his opinion on what half-decent managers he thinks will come to the club in its current state. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisVillan Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 I'd like to hear his opinion on what half-decent managers he thinks will come to the club in its current state. I wouldn't. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honest bunch of lads Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Gabby is a good player, how soon people forget. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexbelowsound Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Here's the view of Jonathan Pritchard, who writes regularly in the Observer, giving a Villa fan's perspective. Funny, I usually find him a bit too optimistic! http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/aug/09/premier-league-fans-previews-part-one Aston Villa – Jonathan Pritchard, Observer reader We lost half our home games last season, and the last six away games. The sale of the club has been a shambles and officials are now trying to gag our supporters’ clubs’ right to criticise. Our summer signings have provoked sniggers from other fans. Am I building up to a contrarian “darkest hour comes before the dawn” sort of preview? No, we’ll probably get relegated this season. Lambert has signed/reintegrated players that are proven liabilities at the highest level (N’Zogbia excepted), and replaced two alleged bullies on the coaching staff with another one in Roy Keane. The fixture computer hasn’t been kind: we will certainly be in the bottom three come mid-October and that should be enough to make the manager’s position untenable. Until he goes, there is literally nothing to look forward to for a Villa fan beyond the balti pies. As an aside, Villa’s support has been numerically superb through four appalling seasons. The club don’t deserve this loyalty. Key players Vlaar, Guzan and Benteke kept us up last year, but we won’t see the latter til November, so if Concrete Ron leaves, the spine looks very weak. Grealish is well-regarded but we can’t expect much from a rookie winger in a relegation battle. Weak links The manager is tactically and strategically inept. The sooner he leaves the better. Headline generator The sale of the club will generate some headlines, and some optimism. Three songs that define the side Same Old Brand New You (A1); Can We Fix It? (Bob the Builder); Seasons in the Abyss (Slayer). My prediction 18th That guy sounds like an utter clown. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briny_ear Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 (edited) Here's the view of Jonathan Pritchard, who writes regularly in the Observer, giving a Villa fan's perspective. Funny, I usually find him a bit too optimistic! http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/aug/09/premier-league-fans-previews-part-one Aston Villa – Jonathan Pritchard, Observer reader We lost half our home games last season, and the last six away games. The sale of the club has been a shambles and officials are now trying to gag our supporters’ clubs’ right to criticise. Our summer signings have provoked sniggers from other fans. Am I building up to a contrarian “darkest hour comes before the dawn” sort of preview? No, we’ll probably get relegated this season. Lambert has signed/reintegrated players that are proven liabilities at the highest level (N’Zogbia excepted), and replaced two alleged bullies on the coaching staff with another one in Roy Keane. The fixture computer hasn’t been kind: we will certainly be in the bottom three come mid-October and that should be enough to make the manager’s position untenable. Until he goes, there is literally nothing to look forward to for a Villa fan beyond the balti pies. As an aside, Villa’s support has been numerically superb through four appalling seasons. The club don’t deserve this loyalty. Key players Vlaar, Guzan and Benteke kept us up last year, but we won’t see the latter til November, so if Concrete Ron leaves, the spine looks very weak. Grealish is well-regarded but we can’t expect much from a rookie winger in a relegation battle. Weak links The manager is tactically and strategically inept. The sooner he leaves the better. Headline generator The sale of the club will generate some headlines, and some optimism. Three songs that define the side Same Old Brand New You (A1); Can We Fix It? (Bob the Builder); Seasons in the Abyss (Slayer). My prediction 18th That guy sounds like an utter clown. You're entitled to that opinion but I suspect he represents the views of an awful lot of Villa fans. Edited August 10, 2014 by briny_ear 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samjp26 Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Gabby was a good player, how soon people forget. Fixed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itdoesntmatterwhatthissay Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Gabby is a good player when he plays up front, wasted out wide, how soon people forget. Fixed Fixed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VillanousOne Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 agreed that supporter does sound a berk, but virtually every newspaper seems to suggest we will be relegated which is odd because as many above have stated 1) We have more players/experience and strength in depth than we have had in years, granted i'm not sure many of them are that great, but better than what we had. 2) Lambert seems to be freeing up wages so he can make more signings, just hope they come to fruition soon. I think with no Benteke and Kozak for a month or two we may well struggle in the goals department, the pre-season has shown at least that we lack cutting edge, but we haven't really had our first choice 11 on the pitch for very long yet so it's difficult to judge. Maybe this? Guzan Hutton -- Senderos -- Vlaar -- Cissoko Delph -- Westwood -- Richardson Zog -- Bent -- Gabby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Gabby is a good player when he plays up front, wasted out wide, how soon people forget. Fixed Fixed This is going to make me sound like an old man, but I don't like this habit of changing what people wrote. It becomes impossible to follow the conversation, or know who said what. At least leave the bit in you're changing but use a strikethrough or something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itdoesntmatterwhatthissay Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Gabby is a good player when he plays up front, wasted out wide, how soon people forget. Fixed Fixed This is going to make me sound like an old man, but I don't like this habit of changing what people wrote. It becomes impossible to follow the conversation, or know who said what. At least leave the bit in you're changing but use a strikethrough or something. Sorry senor, will do so in the future. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HanoiVillan Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Cheers mate, sorry to be such a moaner. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeroGabe Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 If we sign Sanchez and get Benteke back early our squad looks pretty descent actually ----------------Guzan-------------------- Hutton---Vlaar---Okore---Cissokho -------Sanchez-----Westwood-------- Bacuna--------Delph--------N'Zogbia -----------------Benteke----------------- 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSV Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 If we sign Sanchez and get Benteke back early our squad looks pretty descent actually ----------------Guzan-------------------- Hutton---Vlaar---Okore---Cissokho -------Sanchez-----Westwood-------- Bacuna--------Delph--------N'Zogbia -----------------Benteke----------------- A quality right winger on loan to replace Bacuna would make an interesting side indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8pints Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 This is going to make me sound like an old man, but I don't like this habit of changing what people wrote. It becomes impossible to follow the conversation, or know who said what. At least leave the bit in you're changing but use a strikethrough or something. Here you go Started off as Gabby is a good player, how soon people forget. Then changed to Gabby was a good player, how soon people forget. Finally changed to Gabby is a good player when he plays up front, wasted out wide, how soon people forget. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted August 11, 2014 VT Supporter Share Posted August 11, 2014 Gabby is a good player when he plays up front, wasted out wide, how soon people forget. Fixed Fixed This is going to make me sound like an old man, but I love this habit of changing what people wrote. It's easy to follow the conversation, and know who said what. Don't leave the bit in you're changing and don't use a strikethrough or something. Fixed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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